Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Review: Cress by Marissa Meyer

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I received this book for free from Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Cress by Marissa MeyerCress by Marissa Meyer
Series: Lunar Chronicles #3
Published by Feiwel & Friends on February 4th 2014
Genres: Fantasy, Retellings, Sci-Fi, YA
Source: Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group
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five-stars

Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard.

In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

Holy crap what a wild ride! In this 3rd novel of the Lunar Chronicles series, we meet Rapunzel Cress and embark on her unplanned journey to earth. This novel is easily my favorite in the series thus far – and funnily, Rapunzel is also my favorite fairytale princess! We are just meant to be!

We swing into action from the very beginning of this novel, during which we meet Cress and get to know the kind of life she lived inside this satellite for almost a decade. Like always, I love the references to the original fairy-tales this series is based on. After an explosive start, we engage on a survivalist-type story through a desert that is described with such realism you will feel parched and out of breath, Cress’s exhaustion and desperation becoming your own. Their vulnerability breeds constant fear, and there’s a lingering anxiety from expecting the worst – and sometimes getting it – with each flip of the page. And that’s just the first half! As for the rest, well, it involves hacking, gambling, kidnapping, shooting, manipulating, torturing, oh and secret tunnels, dude! It rocked pretty freaking hard, okay!

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

If you’re a fan of this series I don’t have to tell you how incredible the characterization is. Every single character – whether it be main or secondary – is perfectly crafted with quirks, flaws, and their own personal agendas. There’s also conflict, humor, and romance between the characters which makes for a great group dynamic that feels genuine, all the while providing a good distractions from the intense happenings surrounding them. Since every book focuses, at least at first, on new main character, this gives us a chance to not only get to know everyone on a personal level, but to also know them through different perspectives. By now, these guys are basically like family! At the moment I will say my favorite characters are Thorne and Cress. Also FYI – this book is not romance heavy at all, but it has the perfect balance of gentle progression and butterfly-inducing swoonyness! Aaaaaand! We’ve got Iko! No page with Iko gets flipped without a chuckle and a snort. Definitely the most colorful personality of this series!

Honestly by book 3, there is not much more to say that is not just repeating myself from my earlier reviews. Fans will definitely enjoy themselves just as much – if not more – with Cress in the picture. Plot-wise, some nastiness is hitting the fan, here, and it’s getting more and more urgent. Personally, I feel like this one is the strongest and most exciting of all three -not to mention most emotional; one part had me choked up for real. This is the kind of series that you hope will never end (but alas, I hear the 4th will be the last)!

five-stars

5 Hot Espressos

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Canadian blogger, wife, mother, coffee lover, and sarcastic at heart! She has had a love for all things bookish since before Amazon and eReaders existed *le gasp*. You can also find her organizing tours and other fun things at Xpresso Book Tours.

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30 Responses to “Review: Cress by Marissa Meyer”

  1. Jennifer | Book Den

    I LOVE that book 3 is your favorite. So many series have been fizzling out that I’m afraid to start reading very many new ones. It’s exciting to find series that get better as they go.

  2. Nick @ Nick's Book Blog

    I still haven’t read book 2 yet but I’ve been meaning to. It sounds like this was wonderful. I’m glad to hear this lived up to your expectations. Cress sounds great and I’m glad the book is not heavy on the romance. And yay for more Iko!
    Great review, Giselle.

  3. Eileen @ Singing and Reading in the Rain

    Ahh this is such amazing news! I’m so excited for this book to come out and everybody I know has been raving about how it totally lives up to their expectations. Marissa is a genius for how well she characterizes each character in her book despite their importance to the story overall, so I’m really happy that you loved this one. This is the perfect action book that I’ve been looking for <33 Fantastic review, Giselle! <33

  4. Bonnie

    5?? I just scanned your review because I’m one of those lame individuals that hasn’t yet made time for Cinder. I’m the only one left aren’t I?

  5. Pili

    I loved Cinder and Scarlet, and I’m so so SO excited to read Cress! Each book is even getting better than the previous one!
    Great review, Giselle!

  6. Melanie (YA Midnight Reads)

    This is seriously the best retelling series ever! It’s so sad that there’s only one book to go, but hopefully Meyer will write more awesomeness! “it involves hacking, gambling, kidnapping, shooting, manipulating, torturing, oh and secret tunnels” OMG I AM EXCITED.

    Lovely review as always, Giselle! <33

  7. Kristen@My Friends Are Fiction

    I couldn’t agree more! Cress was my favorite of the series (so far). I think with each book Meyer gets better. I love the inclusion of more characters and love her ability to give them all unique dialog. I can’t wait until Winter!

  8. Faye @ The Social Potato

    Oh, Giselle, you have no idea how this review makes me so excited for this series. I’ve yet to get my hands on Cress and the excitement is killing me 🙂 I hope I love it as much as you did! Great review!!

  9. Jessica

    I was/am very excited about this series my only issue is with how long its taking for all the books to come out so I’ve decided to simply wait till they are all out before I read further. I’ve read book 2 and will stop here till the series is complete.

  10. Melliane

    it’s really terrible, I really need to start this series, everyone just love it and at the end I’ll be the only one who haven’t read it. What a shame! I’m glad this new book was good and I’m curious to discover Cress!

  11. Charlotte @ Thoughts and Pens

    Sorry, Giselle, but I have to skim through your review. Hahahaha. I still have to read this one and I don’t think I could forgive myself if I would read spoilers along the way. But I am so happy that you gave this book a perfect five. That makes me more desperate to read it… Gaahh.

    February 4 is still so far and I am dying inside. >,<

  12. Mel@thedailyprophecy

    Plot-wise, it’s definitely the strongest book from the series! I thought Cress was adorable, but I’m more a Cinder/Thorne shipper, so I hope Meyer will introduce us with another hottie for our new princess 😀

  13. Alexa S.

    This book is, quite simply, perfection. It’s my first five star read of this year, honestly, and it totally deserves that rating! I love what Marissa has done with the story and with these characters; her books just keep on getting even MORE amazing than their predecessors.

  14. Christina (A Reader of Fictions)

    Dang, I was hoping you would be with me in not sailing on the Thorne/Cress ship. I’M ALL ALONE. Oh well. But the plot is AWESOME. So we agree about that. Like the previous books were awesome and fun, but this is where the world building and plot become seriously intense and legit. *squees*

  15. Catherine @ The Book Parade

    I just finished Cress a few days ago, and I can totally agree with your review! Firstly, on the fact that this novel is easily my favourite in the series so far (in fact, I think The Lunar Chronicles is a series that just honestly gets better with each new book) and how every character just seems so real! I love the way you’ve described it as each one being ‘perfectly crafted with quirks, flaws, and their own personal agendas’ – that pretty much sums it up perfectly!